Failed Ubuntu uninstall

g6zru · 10-22-2009, 10:17 AM

I have been given a computer that has both Ubuntu and Windows XP on it with a dual boot menu. It will be used by a Senior Citizen so I want to make it as simple to use as possible. With this in mind I Googled "Remove Dual Boot Ubuntu" and more results than I could cope with!
From what I discovered I decided a method that might work, it didn't!

What I did was in Windows XP I used Disk Management to remove the Unbutu partition and formatted the resulting blank partition with NTFS.
I then booted from the Windows XP CD and entered the Recovery Console.

Next I tried to run Fixboot, this came up with "FIXBOOT cannot find the system drive, or the drive specified is not valid.

As the Google search results also mentioned Fixmbr I tried it. I then got
"**CAUTION** This computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid master boot record. Fixmbr may damage your partition table if you proceed.
This could cause all the partitions on current harddisk to become inaccessible.
If you are not having problems accessing drive do not continue."

As I was having a disk access problem I did continue and all I now get is "GRUB Loading stage 1.5.
GRUB loading, please wait...
Error 17

The PC hasn't cost me anything as it was a gift within the family to be used for the Senior Citizen but my Street Cred has suffered considerably!
Can anyone help please?

Fred

**wmorri** · 10-22-2009, 05:57 PM

Hi,

Well lets see if I am able to help you. It sounds like all you need to do is remove all the partitions and start over. I sounds as though you want windows on the laptop. I would recommend that you get one of two things.

The first is call GParted. This is a partition manager that can be booted so that you can change the partition table on a hdd and then make it what you want.

The second is a the Ubuntu LiveCD. This is the entire Ubuntu linux distrobution on a cd. It comes with GParted as a program on it so that you can use it to change the partition table.

Which ever one you choose you will need to burn a LiveCD which is a cd that is bootable, similar to what the windows install disks are.

Let me know if you need any help with this and myself or someone else on the forum can help you.

Cheers!

g6zru · 10-23-2009, 09:39 AM

Thanks for your reply. I will download the CDs you suggest.
The PC is a desktop not a laptop but I doubt if that makes a difference. My hope was to just get rid of Ubuntu and retain the Windows XP installation but if I have definately trashed the setup I will reinstall it but i was hoping that I wouldn't have to go that far. I've now been told that there are family photos on the XP section that haven't been backed up anywhere! I was previously told that there was nothing important on it....

Fred

ricerider623 · 10-23-2009, 01:12 PM

Fred, if you boot from the live cd, you should be able to recover photos before you make any partition adjustments. However this would be accomplished easier with a second cd rom or a second hard drive installed, at least temporarily, if you happen to have one handy.

g6zru · 10-26-2009, 10:38 AM

Thanks for your replies.
It turned out that the PC had 2 drives, one IDE and one SATA. When I booted from the Windows XP CD and tried to use the recovery console it didn't see the SATA drive where Ubutnu and more importantly Grub were located. I had to install a third party disc utility and disconnect the IDE drive before it would see the SATA drive. Once I had done this and run Fixmbr it all came good.
I learned a bit and saw something of Ubuntu so it was a useful exercise.

Thanks

Fred

10-22-2009, 10:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
g6zru Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Windows XP	Failed Ubuntu uninstall I have been given a computer that has both Ubuntu and Windows XP on it with a dual boot menu. It will be used by a Senior Citizen so I want to make it as simple to use as possible. With this in mind I Googled "Remove Dual Boot Ubuntu" and more results than I could cope with! From what I discovered I decided a method that might work, it didn't! What I did was in Windows XP I used Disk Management to remove the Unbutu partition and formatted the resulting blank partition with NTFS. I then booted from the Windows XP CD and entered the Recovery Console. Next I tried to run Fixboot, this came up with "FIXBOOT cannot find the system drive, or the drive specified is not valid. As the Google search results also mentioned Fixmbr I tried it. I then got "CAUTION This computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid master boot record. Fixmbr may damage your partition table if you proceed. This could cause all the partitions on current harddisk to become inaccessible. If you are not having problems accessing drive do not continue." As I was having a disk access problem I did continue and all I now get is "GRUB Loading stage 1.5. GRUB loading, please wait... Error 17 The PC hasn't cost me anything as it was a gift within the family to be used for the Senior Citizen but my Street Cred has suffered considerably! Can anyone help please? Fred

10-22-2009, 05:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
wmorri Moderator/Fedora Amb. Join Date: May 2008 Location: /pm/etc Posts: 2,811 OS: Window 7/Fedora 10 My System	Re: Failed Ubuntu uninstall Hi, Well lets see if I am able to help you. It sounds like all you need to do is remove all the partitions and start over. I sounds as though you want windows on the laptop. I would recommend that you get one of two things. The first is call GParted. This is a partition manager that can be booted so that you can change the partition table on a hdd and then make it what you want. The second is a the Ubuntu LiveCD. This is the entire Ubuntu linux distrobution on a cd. It comes with GParted as a program on it so that you can use it to change the partition table. Which ever one you choose you will need to burn a LiveCD which is a cd that is bootable, similar to what the windows install disks are. Let me know if you need any help with this and myself or someone else on the forum can help you. Cheers! __________________ Linux Forever!

10-23-2009, 09:39 AM	#3 (permalink)
g6zru Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Windows XP	Re: Failed Ubuntu uninstall Thanks for your reply. I will download the CDs you suggest. The PC is a desktop not a laptop but I doubt if that makes a difference. My hope was to just get rid of Ubuntu and retain the Windows XP installation but if I have definately trashed the setup I will reinstall it but i was hoping that I wouldn't have to go that far. I've now been told that there are family photos on the XP section that haven't been backed up anywhere! I was previously told that there was nothing important on it.... Fred

10-23-2009, 01:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
ricerider623 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: S.E.Ohio Posts: 64 OS: XPPro SP2	Re: Failed Ubuntu uninstall Fred, if you boot from the live cd, you should be able to recover photos before you make any partition adjustments. However this would be accomplished easier with a second cd rom or a second hard drive installed, at least temporarily, if you happen to have one handy.

10-26-2009, 10:38 AM	#5 (permalink)
g6zru Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Windows XP	Re: Failed Ubuntu uninstall Thanks for your replies. It turned out that the PC had 2 drives, one IDE and one SATA. When I booted from the Windows XP CD and tried to use the recovery console it didn't see the SATA drive where Ubutnu and more importantly Grub were located. I had to install a third party disc utility and disconnect the IDE drive before it would see the SATA drive. Once I had done this and run Fixmbr it all came good. I learned a bit and saw something of Ubuntu so it was a useful exercise. Thanks Fred